Wed 10 Sep - Posted in Breaking News
Time to read: 3mins
Derby County and the Derby County Community Trust are proud to be partnered with the local committee for ‘The Baton of Hope’ event in Derbyshire this weekend.
The Baton of Hope was devised by a suicide prevention charity as a parallel icon to the Olympic torch - but one that celebrates mental rather than physical wellbeing.
Throughout this year, the Baton will be carried across the UK and will arrive in Derbyshire on Saturday 13th September, with a range of events taking place across the city alongside the procession to tie in with World Suicide Prevention Day today (Wednesday 10th September 2025).
Suicide survivors and those bereaved by suicide have been offered the chance to help carry the Baton in honour of their own survival or memory of a lost loved one. There will also be opportunities for stallholders, entertainment, arts, crafts and other activities to be held at stops along the way.
Claire Goring and Luke Oldham are Project Leads for the Derbyshire stage of the Baton of Hope.
Claire said: “Words cannot express how we feel about the importance of highlighting the long-overlooked issue of suicide. It is the biggest killer of men under 50 and women under 35 and there has been no improvement in the statistics for 17 years.”
Luke added: “Bringing the Baton of Hope to Derby and Derbyshire will significantly raise awareness and help to remove the stigma surrounding suicide - which prevents so many from asking for help.”
Luke and his team were at Pride Park Stadium earlier this year for the Rams’ Sky Bet Championship fixture against Oxford United on Tuesday 11th February to hand out flyers and start the conversation with people that might need advice or support.
Simon Carnall, Chief Operating Officer at Derby County, said: “We’re so pleased to see that the Baton of Hope will be visiting our local communities. As a football club we know how important it is to use our place within the city to share important messaging, and we’re fully behind the Baton of Hope campaign and what it hopes to achieve.”
Derby County Community Trust deliver a range of sessions and activities aimed at improving mental wellbeing and the football club recognises its key position in raising awareness amongst the local community.
The Community Trust will be staging a free event at Pride Park Stadium on Saturday 13th September designed exclusively for business leaders seeking to create thriving, resilient workplaces.
This engaging series of talks will explore the critical role mental fitness plays in performance, innovation, and sustaining wellbeing across teams. Learn how developing your own mental fitness as a leader can positively influence company culture, reduce burnout, and unlock your full potential.
Attendees will also be introduced to the Baton of Hope UK Workplace Pledge.
The Baton of Hope will be carried by individuals affected by suicide with dedicated stops along the route. It will arrive at Pride Park Stadium at the end of the event at around 3pm before heading off to its next location at 3:15pm.
Bookings for the event can be made by clicking here.
You can find more information about the local event, partnerships and fundraising opportunities and much more on the batonofhopederbyshire.co.uk or Instagram @BatonofHopeDerbyshire.
